Right now, I'm taking advantage of an extended holiday week-end here, where I'm all alone in the house, to try and finish the translation of Jerusalem Poker before Sunday.

The translator's task is a peculiar one, as he or she concentrates so much on the trees that the forest becomes invisible. Thanks to you, I see the forest more clearly.

I'll send Anne a rough English translation of my timeline--which will cover Sinai Tapestry and Jerusalem Poker only--as soon as it is ready.

Best,Jean-Daniel

--Previous Message--: Joseph, : : Thanks for the encouraging words. The site : actually doesn't take up all that much of my : time. I would like to give it a new design : sometime or other but that will have to : wait,as will the historical source page. : : You are obviously a true believer as far as : Whittemore is concerned. So am I. It is : reaffirmed every time I delve into the : books. : : I'm glad that you can take time to drop into : the Jerusalem Dreaming message board. : : Anne : : : : --Previous Message-- : Anne, : : Thanks once again for your prompt response. : Your dedication to this sight and its : visitors is commendable. I'm happy to ear : that you have found an excuse, albeit a : rather productive one, to delve into the : Quartet once again. : : My semester recently ended and I, too, have : begun re-reading Sinai Tapestry during the : break. The first section of this novel may : very well be my favorite, if I dare choose : one, bit of Whittemore craft. That the : novel begins with the birth of Strongbow, a : character built upon notions of chaos, : disorder, and contradiction, and ends with : his retirement to the Yemen after Sophia has : locked away Wallenstein, God, the very : foundation of order, is simply amazing. The : discourse of each character was at odds with : the other and it is not surprising, to this : reader, that Strongbowism reigned supreme. : : Sorry for the rant. I get carried away in : the world of EW. : : Take care, : Joe : --Previous Message-- : Pleased to meet you, Joseph. : : I agree with you about historicizing : Whittemore's world. : : As I translated Sinai Tapestry, I put : together a timeline of the events in the : book, which editor Gerard Klein decided to : publish as an appendix of the French : edition. : : I'm currently completing this timeline as I : translate Jerusalem Poker, and it'll : eventually cover the whole Quartet. : : Maybe Anne'll be interested in an English : translation for this site. As a starting : point to the historicizing project... : : Back to deadline-fighting. : : Jean-Daniel : : --Previous Message-- : Hello Anne. I am very pleased to again visit : the site and see such engaging and recent : conversation regarding Whittemore. I am only : disappointed that I am joining, really : reacting to, the discussion so late. : : Anyway, the notion of historicizing : Whittemore's world seems to me the first : major step in situating his novels into some : kind of ideological framework. It seems, : too, a huge undertaking. His apparent : knowledge and intentional weaving of the : most obscure historical facts is still : relatively unresearched. I suspect that : each of Whittemore's characters, whether : some historical archetype or synthesis of : several historical figures, or an image of : someone close to him, or formerly close to : him, or Whittemore himself, conceals some : relevance to a factual, documented : individual. Each setting too, a situation : crafted with an actual, but often : manipulated historical event close in mind. : That the characters and events often do not : interact chronologically is only further : testament to his craft. This, along with : his rhetorical references to other works and : his denunciation of, yet direct application : of modern and contemporary theorists, : Whittemore's world seems to reflect the : random and chaotic (yet historically : influenced) ideals as evidenced in : Strongbowism. To consider the task of : historicizing all four (or five) novels is : enough discussion, or material for a : website, for the present. : : Again, I really enjoyed your and : Jean-Daniel's discussion surrounding the : creation of a website dedicated to : historicizing Whittemore's world. I would be : delighted to contribute. : : Take care, : Joseph : : : : : : : :